


confessions in the dark

by BookRockShooter



Category: IT (2017), IT (2019), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Character Death Fix, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Fix-It, IT Chapter Two Spoilers, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Canon, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, fuck canon i make the rules now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-11-03 20:57:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20611538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookRockShooter/pseuds/BookRockShooter
Summary: Richie nods to himself. “Okay. Talk. I can do that. Hey, you know a trope in movies I always hated? When, like, the main character’s love interest is fatally wounded and dy–” He trails off, staring at Eddie with a haunted look in his eyes. “Well. You know. And, uh, the main character chooses that exact moment to confess their undying love? Like, shit, they’ve always got the worst timing.” He laughs, short and shaky, and Eddie thinks,Oh my god. “So, what, they wait until the last moment to say something? Isn’t that fucked up? Because, now, they’ll never have time to… to be happy together.” His eyes are shiny and, suddenly, all Eddie wants to do is wipe away his tears. Wants to help him feel better, because Richie Tozier doesn’t deserve to be in so much pain, not on Eddie’s behalf.“Richie,” Eddie murmurs, and he hates himself for what he’s about to say. “Richie, I… I love you.”-*fix it fic for chapter 2 bc fuck canon reddie is real*





	confessions in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> if you stop watching the movie right before they reach eddie post-fight this fic is legally canon
> 
> no but seriously it ch2 Hurt Me so here have this thing i wrote at 1am bc all i can think about is this movie even tho it's been like 30 hours since i watched it kjdskd rip
> 
> also fuck titles
> 
> enjoy :')

Eddie’s chest hurts.

Okay, well, _hurts_ is actually a huge understatement, considering the fact that he was just fucking _stabbed_ by It barely five minutes ago. The wound from the whatever-the-fuck It got him with feels like it’s on fire. He can feel himself bleeding out, staining his skin and clothes and Richie’s hands a dark, ugly red.

“Richie,” he says, voice coming out in a wheeze, and he thinks absently, _Fuck, I feel so weak. So goddamn numb. I’m fucking dying._ “Rich, it… it hurts.”

A hand, sticky with his blood, cradles his face. Richie’s rough thumb brushes his cheek, right above the gauze covering Bowers’ stab wound. “I know, I know, baby, it’s okay,” Richie whispers, and his voice is so scared that Eddie wants to sob because it’s _not_ okay, it’s _not_, he’s dying in front of the man he loves while his best friends in the world fight against a fucking _monster_ and he can’t help them because he’s _dying, fuck_. “It’s okay,” Richie continues, pressing his jacket more firmly to Eddie’s chest. He gasps at the flare of pain and Richie hisses like he’s the one getting hurt instead. “Fuck, sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Richie,” Eddie breathes, “shut up. It’s… it’s fine. You’re fine.” He wants to say more, to help Richie calm down because the panic is clear in the way his mouth is set in a grim line, the way his eyes grow impossibly wide when he looks down at Eddie and sees the blood continue to spread. But he can’t. Talking is too much work.

He might’ve actually said that last part out loud, though, because Richie gives a jerky nod and mutters, “Okay, yeah, fair. Uh. I can talk, then, I can talk a lot, distract you from- from everything happening right now. You want that? Smile for yes, if you can.”

Eddie coughs a laugh instead, wincing when his chest burns again. Richie’s own smile slips a bit and he takes a deep breath, nodding to himself again. “Okay. Talk. I can do that. Hey, you know a trope in movies I always hated? When, like, the main character’s love interest is fatally wounded and dy–” He trails off, staring at Eddie with a haunted look in his eyes. “Well. You know. And, uh, the main character chooses that exact moment to confess their undying love? Like, shit, they’ve always got the worst timing.” He laughs, short and shaky, and Eddie thinks, _Oh my god_. “So, what, they wait until the last moment to say something? Isn’t that fucked up? Because, now, they’ll never have time to… to be happy together.” His eyes are shiny and, suddenly, all Eddie wants to do is wipe away his tears. Wants to help him feel better, because Richie Tozier doesn’t deserve to be in so much pain, not on Eddie’s behalf.

“Richie,” Eddie murmurs, and he hates himself for what he’s about to say. “Richie, I… I love you.”

The look on Richie’s face feels like a physical blow to Eddie; the pain it causes rivals that of the stab wound. It’s a horrible mix of shock and fear and absolute _agony_ and Eddie hates that he’s the one who put it there, that he’s gone a lifetime of not saying anything until now, when he’s bleeding out in Richie’s arms.

“What?” Richie whispers. His voice cracks and he lets out a sob before asking again, “_What?_”

Eddie reaches up to cover Richie’s hand, still on his cheek, with his own. “I love you,” he repeats softly, firmly, and then he coughs again. _How romantic,_ he thinks dryly, _me telling him that I love him while I’m fucking dying._ “And I’m… sorry… that I didn’t say it… sooner.” Breathing is getting difficult. He struggles to inhale his next breath and Richie clearly notices, if his quiet hiss of _“fuck fuck fuck”_ is anything to go by. “But I… I needed you… to know. I’m sorry.”

And he is. Eddie feels like the worst fucking person in the world, because the chances of him getting out of here and surviving are slim to none, and he _knows_ that, and so does Richie, and, god, he really has the worst timing.

“You have the worst timing,” Richie says. He laughs, but it’s broken and ends in another sob. “What the _fuck_, Eds.”

“I’m sorry,” he says again, and he tries to smile, but even that’s hard to do. “I love you.” Talking still hurts, but he’s going to say this as many times as he can. There’s no way he’ll make up for all the years he could’ve said it, but maybe it’ll make Richie feel better, just a little.

“Shut up, it’s not your… not your fault,” Richie whispers, and he leans forward to press his forehead to Eddie’s. “I love you. I love you so much, Eddie, it’s fucking crazy how much I love you.”

Eddie finally breaks at that, crying and wetting both his face and Eddie’s hands with his hot tears. “Jesus, we’re both… terrible at… at this,” he says, and then he uses what little strength he has left to lean forward and kiss Richie.

Richie’s mouth is warm and wet with what might be tears or blood, Eddie’s not sure, and it’s probably the saddest kiss of Eddie’s life because they’re both crying into it. Richie has to pull back after a few moments, sobbing so hard that Eddie thinks his heart physically breaks at the sound.

A crash distracts both of them and Eddie tilts his head back enough so he can look over and see what’s happening. It has stumbled into the center part of the room, collapsing on the ground, and Eddie’s astonished to see that It’s actually getting smaller. Their friends surround him, screaming the worst shit they can think of, and Eddie looks back to Richie, who’s staring at the fight with wide eyes.

“I’m gonna – I have to go help,” he says, and the fear comes back when he looks at Eddie. _He doesn’t want to leave_, Eddie realizes, _he doesn’t want to leave me, and I don’t want him to, either, but. But he has to._

“Go,” Eddie whispers. “Go kill that… that fucking clown.”

“You – god, Eddie, don’t you _dare_ die on me, okay?” Richie says, and he stands up hastily, staring at Eddie as he goes. “I’ll – I’ll be right back.”

Eddie thinks he smiles at him. He can’t tell; his whole body feels numb. “Okay,” is all he manages, and he watches as Richie sprints to join their friends in finishing off It.

The last thing he sees is Richie just as he reaches the fight, and he closes his eyes to the sound of It’s screams, thinking, _You did it. You killed the fucking clown._

\- 

Later, much to his surprise, Eddie finds himself opening his eyes.

The room he’s in is familiar only because he recognizes it as a hospital room, and when he realizes this, he tries to sit up. That turns out to be a horrible fucking idea when it causes his entire body to start throbbing in pain, and he groans. “Fucking – jesus, oh my god,” he hisses, laying back down slowly. “Fuck, fuck, jesus, that hurts.”

“Holy shit,” someone else says.

Eddie turns to see Richie slumped in a chair beside his bed, though he immediately straightens when his gaze meets Eddie’s. “Oh my god, you’re okay, holy _shit_,” Richie breathes, and he throws himself at Eddie, pulling him into a hug.

Normally, Eddie would appreciate this, but when every little movement makes him hurt, a hug from Richie is not the best idea. Richie always hugs him way too tightly, and this is no exception; Eddie feels like he’s being fucking crushed.

“Rich– Richie, I can’t – I can’t breathe,” Eddie finally gasps.

“Fuck, fuck, sorry,” Richie says, releasing him and helping him to settle back into the bed. The look of guilt on his face makes Eddie feel a little bad, though, so he smiles at him. Richie brightens at that, a huge grin on his face that Eddie hasn’t seen since they were kids. “You’re okay,” Richie repeats, like he can barely believe it. “What the fuck.”

“What–” Eddie interrupts himself with a cough and Richie flinches, like he’s expecting Eddie to drop dead at any moment. “I’m fine,” he says, waving a hand. “You don’t have to look so… so worried.”

Richie stares at him in disbelief. “You got stabbed through the fucking chest, dipshit,” he says. “I have every right to be worried!”

The door swings open before Eddie has the chance to reply, and their friends all spill inside, staring at Eddie in shocked glee. “You’re okay,” Beverly says, laughing. “Jesus, Eddie.”

“He’s not okay,” Richie argues, waving Ben back when he tries to hug Eddie. “Don’t touch him or he’ll convulse.”

“What?” Bill says, visibly horrified, and Eddie rolls his eyes.

“I’m _fine_,” he insists. “Richie’s being dramatic.”

Richie throws his hands into the air in exasperation. “You were fucking _skewered!_” he cries. “Like a piece of _meat!_ Jesus, Eddie, you’d think as a risk what-the-fuck-ever–”

“Risk analyst,” Eddie mutters, sighing.

“–that you’d understand how much danger you were in, but I guess not!”

“Arguing like a married couple already,” Mike says, shaking his head. “Why am I surprised?” Eddie flips him off in response.

Beverly places a hand on Richie’s shoulder, patting him gently, and he slumps back against the chair, shoulders shaking. With a pang, Eddie realizes that he’s crying.

He looks at Mike again, who nods and herds everyone back out. Before he leaves, he mouths, _Glad you’re okay_, and Eddie gives him a thumbs-up. He’s still not sure why that’s a reflexive response for him, but whatever.

When the door shuts, he looks back at Richie, who’s now rubbing his eyes harshly and wiping away any tears. “Rich,” Eddie says softly. “Richie, I’m sorry.” He can’t believe that, in the span of twenty-four hours, he’s managed to make Richie cry twice.

“It’s okay,” Richie says, sighing. “I just – I can’t believe that you’re… alive.”

Eddie can’t really believe it, either. “What happened?” he asks.

Richie winces. “Uh. A lot. We killed It, naturally, and when we went back to get you, we… they thought you were dead, because. Well. You looked pretty fuckin’ dead, man.” He inhales a shuddery breath, wiping his eyes again, and Eddie reaches out a hand towards him, wanting nothing more than to comfort him again, the same way he wanted to during the fight. When Richie notices, he leans forward in his chair to grasp Eddie’s hand. His grip is tight, but Eddie doesn’t say anything, just stares at him and waits.

Eventually, Richie continues. “But then I realized that you were still breathing, so we managed to get you out before the cave collapsed. The house did too, by the way, you should see it. Looks like a tornado hit it or something.” He huffs a short laugh and Eddie smiles, squeezing his hand. Richie looks back at him, finally smiling again. “And we brought you here. Everyone was fucking horrified at the sight of us, but they fixed you up pretty good. I think.”

“They did,” Eddie says, shifting and trying to hide his pained grimace. At Richie’s eyebrow raise, he huffs. “I’m okay, Richie. I promise. I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

“…Yeah,” Richie sighs after a moment, still smiling. “Yeah, you are.”

They’re quiet for a few minutes, but it’s a calm kind of quiet. Eddie thinks about the fact that their job is done, that they defeated It and survived, and that all he wants to do now is get out of here, preferably with Richie.

“So,” Eddie says. Richie glances at him curiously, still holding his hands. “What’re you doing after this?”

Richie stares at him for almost a full minute before he laughs, the sound a complete relief for Eddie. “Eddie Kaspbrak, are you asking what I think you’re asking?” Richie says, grinning, and Eddie actually blushes like a goddamn teenager.

“Shut the fuck up, asshole, I confessed my undying love for you last night,” he snaps. His face feels like it’s on fire.

“I know, I was there,” Richie says. Eddie rolls his eyes as Richie continues, “And, to answer your question, I’m leaving this shithole of a town with the love of my life.” Richie pauses, like he can’t believe he just said that, and adds softly, “If that’s okay with you.”

_Love of his life_, Eddie thinks, staring at Richie with what he assumes is absolute adoration, which, wow, embarrassing. But then he grins because, fuck it, he’s in love with Richie Tozier and now he’s allowed to show it, and so he will.

“Of course it’s okay with me, you fucking dork,” he says, and he tugs on Richie’s hand to bring him in closer. Richie kisses him, this one much nicer and less frantic than the one in the caves, and Eddie smiles into it this time. “I love you,” he whispers against his lips.

Richie pulls back just enough to grin at him, and it’s so bright and happy that Eddie almost wants to cry again because this man loves him, and he can’t believe how lucky he is.

“Love you, too, Eds.”

**Author's Note:**

> apologies about the quality of this going downhill after the first few hundred words skjdskd i had no idea what i was doing, i just wanted to fix it and make richie and eddie happy oKAY
> 
> anyway yeah hope y'all enjoyed this little thing skdskj i'm gonna go sleep now and pretend like richie and eddie are happy thanks
> 
> have a good day/night uwu


End file.
